A Different Kind of Camping Trip
by Lady Elrayen
Summary: After their last misadventure, Estel and Legolas persuade Lord Elrond to let them go on another camping trip. Not taking any chances, Elrond and Glorfindel come up with a solution to keep the ranger and elf out of harms way, which backfires... ON HIATIUS
1. Setting Off

Mae govannen, all who read here! This story I have dedicated to Jaimie-Erin, who did an absolutely fantastic job beta-ing my first big fic called Forgotten Evil – thank you so much! You have no idea how much your beta-ing has helped me with my writing skills, mellon – I hope they show! big hug and smiles

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any thing, person or object from Tolkien's Middle Earth. Unfortunately…. :'(

I hope you all enjoy reading it!

**Translations.**

_Estel – Aragorn's childhood name, meaning hope._

_Ada – father_

_Mellon-nin – my friend_

_Edain – men_

_Hannon le – thank you_

Ooo----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----ooO

**A different kind of camping trip.**

Elrond gave a small sigh as he spoke to the two figures that were mounted on their steeds before him. "Please, try not to get yourselves captured, injured or caught up in a fight with orcs, trolls, wargs, goblins, or other men…"

Aragorn opened his mouth to protest at these seemingly accusatory words, but Elrond raised a hand to silence him, as he continued in an exhausted voice. "Just for once can you please come back uninjured and safe? Else if it were possible for an elf to have grey hairs, then I fear I would be as grey as the hide of a mumakil." He paused and nodded his head in Legolas' direction. "And I fear so would your father."

A small smile lifted on Legolas' face at these words but it went quickly as he resumed a straight face, though the amusement remained evident in his eyes.

"I will keep an eye on this young man here, my Lord Elrond," Legolas said as he nodded his head towards Aragorn, whilst trying to ignore the rather harsh glare he was receiving. "And see to it that he does not run into any trouble."

Elrond shook his head, a small smile also forming on his face. "Honestly you two, you are both as bad as one another, you attract trouble like honey would attract a bee!" He gave a sigh and his face turned serious. "Now go, before I change my mind. May the Valar protect you and please -"

"- Stay safe," Aragorn and Legolas chorused back in a monotonous tone. Elrond gave them an approving smile before stepping back to give some room for the horses as they turned around.

"See you in a day or two, ada!" Aragorn's voiced called out, as he and Legolas kicked their horses into a slow trot and so exiting the courtyard of Rivendell, leaving Elrond to stand there wondering whether or not it was a good idea to let them go so soon after their previous 'adventure'.

When his elven hearing could no longer pick up the sounds of the horse hooves, Elrond turned with a sigh and made his way towards the main doors, heading leisurely towards the library.

OoooOOOoooO

Legolas and Aragorn had been riding in silence for about half an hour, just enjoying each other's company, until at last, Aragorn could keep his thoughts quiet no longer.

"See that this young man does not run into any trouble?" he exclaimed in an incredulous voice. "Legolas, mellon-nin, I would argue that it is you who attracts the unwanted attention of orcs and other foul creatures like that that roam this Middle Earth!"

Legolas gave a merry laugh that rang out into their woody surroundings, which was soon joined by Aragorn's.

The day was a pleasant one, and the rays of the bright sun shining above their heads in the cloudless, blue sky left the hearts of all those beneath it merry and light. It did in fact make a pleasant change for the sun to be out. For the last few weeks, a storm had raged in the sky above, leaving the land below to act like a basin for its rain as the clouds had emptied their contents.

Both Legolas and Aragorn had been out for a week or so and were returning to Rivendell when the storm had begun. The storm would not really have bothered them as much as it had done then, but the circumstances surrounding those few days had been different. A band of orcs had been brave enough to test their luck and wonder close to the border where the ranger and elf had been camping overnight.

Despite the fact that they had been relatively close to the border anyway, (by about a league or two), the two friends had nevertheless both taken their weapons, though when they heard the orc call screech out loud in the middle of the night, the boldness of the orcs took them by surprise. The well-trained elven horses had fled the scene, returning to Rivendell rider-less, leaving Aragorn and Legolas to fight for their lives against fifteen or so orcs.

Usually, orcs of this count would not have been too much of a problem for the two friends, but these orcs had been stealthy, taking them quickly by surprise. Both man and elf had managed to discard the orcs, but not without earning a few injuries themselves. Aragorn had been concussed and had managed to somehow twist his ankle, whilst Legolas had received a rather deep cut on the top of his arm. With the absence of their horses, the journey back had been interesting to say the least, and rather painful, for their supplies had abandoned them with the horses. To make matters even worse, the long brewing storm had decided to break open upon them, making the return journey interesting, painful _and_ wet.

After two days of journeying back, Elrond had sent out riders to search for the missing riders. After much bandaging and drinking of medicinal teas, Legolas and Aragorn had earned themselves a bit of a scolding from Elrond at leaving their guards down, but he was glad to have them both back and safe none-the-less.

Two weeks later, Legolas and Aragorn had somehow managed to persuade Elrond to let them out on another camping trip, claiming that they had learnt their lesson. With much reluctance, and wondering as to why he agreed, Elrond relented in the end and given them permission, on the condition that both were to come back unharmed and with their horses.

The water from the ford splashed around the hooves of their steeds as Legolas and Aragorn rode through the natural protection of Imladris, enjoying the feel of the sun on their backs and the sound of the refreshing water as the horses walked through.

"So then," Aragorn called out to the elf that rode besides him. "What say you we head towards a new camping spot I have recently discovered?"

Legolas looked at his friend and raised an eyebrow at the seemingly innocent question. "And when did you discover this one, Estel?" he asked in a slightly reproachful voice.

Aragorn lazily closed his eyes at the heat being emitted from the sun and smiled. "Oh, it was a few weeks before you were due to arrive. Dan and Ro pointed it out to me before they left to head out with a patrol towards the Ettenmoors."

Legolas frowned slightly, but smiled none-the-less. "So, by saying that Dan and Ro pointed it out to you, you did not really discover it, but were merely shown where it was." Amusement lined his voice.

Aragorn opened an eye and gave a grin towards Legolas. "Ah, but my dear elven friend, Dan and Ro only pointed it out to me on a map, they did not mention whether they had or not been there before. So really," Aragorn paused and gave a wink. "I am about to discover it for real."

Legolas let out a short laugh and shook his head at the young man's antiques. "So where is this undiscovered campsite that you speak of?"

"On the west side of the Trollshaws, about…" Aragorn scratched his slightly whiskered chin absent-mindedly. "Say… forty to forty-five miles from here… give or take."

Legolas nodded his head in response, but then gave Aragorn a questioning look.

"What?"

"Is it safe?"

There was a pause as Aragorn quickly went over this in his mind. A few seconds later, Legolas was given his answer.

"Yes. Yes it is."

Again, Legolas resumed his questioning look, though this time his eyebrows were both raised to add to the effect.

"What? It is safe! At least, it should be safer than our last trip…"

Legolas gave a sigh and pulled his horses reins to a halt. "Is it going to involve you developing concussion and having to use me as your support for a twisted ankle, while I become almost delirious and unconscious courtesy of blood loss?"

Aragorn also pulled his horses reins to a stop as he pondered on the answer for a minute. Twice he opened his mouth to answer, but snapped it shut immediately after. "No," he said slowly. "No. It will be safe. Ish."

"Safe-ish?"

"Out of harms way."

Legolas gave a look of disbelief and took in a breath of air, which he exhaled slowly, as he kicked his horse into a trot, which developed into a canter. "Come on then," he called out to Aragorn behind him. "If it is near forty-five miles then we had best make a move whilst the day is young. It is going to take a good ten hours after all!"

OoooOOOoooO

With a frustrated sigh, Elrond shut his book with a snap and cast it on the table, unable to concentrate any longer.

"I really should not have agreed to them camping out again so soon after last time," Elrond said warily, as he eyed his cup of herbal tea that was still steaming.

Glorfindel stepped away from the balcony and sat in a chair opposite Elrond, who had begun to absent-mindedly stir his herbal tea with a spoon, although it did not need it.

Usually, Imladris' library brought him peace and quiet as a little place to retreat too, but today, however, he found none of that.

"Do not worry yourself, mellon-nin. The Valar can only test your nerve so much, and I think they have done enough so the past few years," Glorfindel reassured Elrond, whom had also given up stirring his tea.

"This is Estel and Legolas we are talking about," Elrond said, his dark eyebrows raised. "Valar knows how Thranduil copes when they both go to Mirkwood - there is more danger there than here!"

Glorfindel could not help but agree with those points. Somehow, Legolas and Aragorn nearly always managed to run into an enemy – and when the twins were with them… Valar, it was usually worse. Who, however, would not worry, though? But right now, Elrond also had the twins to worry about, for they were travelling to the Ettenmoors to deal with some trouble up there. Elrond was usually alright with this sort of thing, but over the past few months to a year, his worry over Aragorn's well-being had gotten worse, and he knew why.

"Elrond, Estel is nineteen years old. Though he may still seem a child to all our eyes, he is considered an adult in the mortal world." Glorfindel paused for a second before resuming. "I think… that it would be better for you if you accepted that now, than in a few months time."

Elrond froze and gave a deep sigh. In seven months time, he would have to break to Aragorn the details of his true lineage, give him the ring of Barahir, and watch as his mortal son would have to go and join the rangers.

"I know," Elrond said softly. "I just worry for him…"

"And many others do also, mellon-nin. If it eases your heart, I could take Asfaloth and follow Aragorn and Legolas to make sure that for once they will not come into harms way. They would not know of course."

Elrond immediately felt his mood lighten up a bit at these words.

"If you are sure, Glorfindel," Elrond began, a smile forming on his face as he raised himself from his chair.

"Trust me, Elrond. They will be fine. I shall get some provisions and leave within the hour."

OoooOOOoooO

By midday, the sun was beating its heat out upon Middle Earth mercilessly, the sky providing no shelter from the warm rays with its clouds. The branches of the trees, however, were doing a sufficient enough job in doing so for the two riders below. Although hot outside, the shade made available by the trees left the wood feeling cool and refreshing, waking up the man and elf who had begun to feel drowsy due to the heat.

Legolas could not help but smirk at the sound of the great yawn coming from Aragorn as their horses walked at a leisurely pace besides one another. Seconds later, Aragorn was graced with yet another yawn, causing Legolas to let out a small laugh as he shook his head in a disbelieving manner. The sound made Aragorn stop mid-yawn.

"Whaar iiiiis iiit?"

Legolas shook his fair head again and looked at Aragorn with a straight face, mirth gleaming from his bright eyes. "I am sorry, but, despite my elven abilities, I am incapable of understanding edain yawn speech."

Aragorn's mouth snapped shut, and a confused expression crossed his face. "I'm sorry, but what…?"

A grin replaced Legolas' straight face, and the elf turned his gaze to the path before them. "I was merely musing at how only a mortal could sleep late into the morning and still be tired hours later."

"In all fairness, my friend, the heat does tend to make those in it drowsy." He paused and a playful frown formed across his brow. "And you cannot deny that you were getting tired also. I saw that near yawn that you battled against."

Legolas let out an un-elf like snort of indignation. "I did not nearly yawn, I was taking in a deep breath of the surrounding air." He stopped and raised an eyebrow. "When have you ever seen me yawn, Estel?"

Aragorn sat back in the saddle and tried to think up a time when he had ever seen Legolas yawn. Come to think of it, he didn't think he ever had…

The frown of thought that was on his brow disappeared as he rolled his eyes. "Point taken."

"Hannon-le," came the smug reply.

Deciding it would be wise to change the conversation topic before Legolas would start talking about his victory, Aragorn glanced around the trees and then turned his attention the his elven friend.

"So what do you think of the wood so far? What do the trees say of your presence?"

Legolas cast a sideways glance at Aragorn, knowing full well why he was changing the conversation topic, but smiled none-the-less as he allowed his elven senses to drift into the surroundings, picking up all talk and motion of the nearby trees.

"They welcome us both. Long has it been, they say, since either elf or man came through these parts without the burden of duty from an errand to seek out evil, and they welcome it."

Around him, the trees spoke up their greetings and feelings of privilege at having a wood elf, and not just any wood elf, but the Prince of Mirkwood, in their company beneath the boughs. In turn, Legolas bade his thanks towards the trees. It made a change for him to be amongst trees almost untainted by evil, unlike the beech and oak trees of his home. _In all fairness, _he thought, as he scolded himself, _not all of the trees at home are either. _True enough, many of the trees were not touched by the slow evil that was being emitted from Dol Guldor like a poisonous fume, but many others had.

"It is nice here," Legolas said, resuming his answering of Aragorn's questions. He did not need to elaborate further, for Aragorn understood why. "It is calm… at least, the trees say it has been calmer for the last nine years." He shook his head at that strange comment made by the trees. "How are we doing for time, mellon-nin?"

Aragorn tilted his head tot eh side slightly, and looked up as he worked it out. "Well… we have made pretty good progress so far. We have been travelling for three and a bit hours and have entered the wood, so I reckon we could be there in another seven. Eight if including a lunch break."

Legolas glanced around the area and pulled the reins of his horse so that it stopped. "Well what better place than here?"

Aragorn stopped his horse and also glanced around the area. Legolas was right, what better place than here? There was a small stream for the horses to drink from, a few cool rocks to sit on, grass also for the horses, and more importantly, shade.

Aragorn released the reins he held and swung his leg over the saddle to dismount in a fashion that one could only learn from elves. Legolas likewise did the same, if a little more gracefully.

Ten minutes later, both man and elf were sitting comfortably on a rock beneath the branches of an oak, eating bread and fruit they had taken with them in their packs, a water skin between them as they enjoyed their surroundings and watched the horses drink from the stream.

When they had both finished eating, Aragorn lazily leant back against the rock behind him, nodding off in the heat and silence. Legolas on the other hand was doing quite the opposite.

Glancing down at the dozing man at his feet and smiling, Legolas moved his gaze so that he was looking up to spot a branch just low enough for him to reach. Spotting one, he bent his knees and lithely jumped up to grab it, swinging himself up. His light elven form barely moved the branches beneath his feet as he continued to climb up quietly, until at last, he spotted the perfect branch and jumped over to it, landing cat fashion neatly on top.

With a relaxed sigh, he leant back casually against the oak that greeted him, and allowed one leg to dangle whilst the other remained on the branch, bent slightly at the knee with an arm upon it.

He closed his eyes and allowed his elven senses to blend with the surroundings, picking up all manners of life and emotion, as he enjoyed the peacefulness of the wood. The sounds of the water trickling by and the birds put him at ease, and for a brief moment he forgot all of his troubles. With his eyes still closed, Legolas drew in a quiet breath. As he released it, the humming of a soft elven tune escaped from him, of which the trees and animals felt joy from, honoured with the presence of one of the firstborn.

He did not know how long he stayed like that for, just humming quietly up in a tree. He could sense that Aragorn was still asleep in the shade below him, and decided that a good forty minutes had probably passed. A bit longer would not hurt.

He ceased his humming and once again delved his senses into his surroundings. This wood was strange to him. Like many of the woods and forests of Middle Earth, these trees whispered of evils that used to dwell here, terrorising them, but that evil had now gone, though a great reminder was with them always. They were glad that whatever it was was now gone; yet they mourned the loss of many trees and good folk who used to wonder here but were driven out.

As Legolas listened to the songs and words of the trees, a sudden feeling of being watched startled him. His eyes snapped open, and the elf immediately brought his hand up to his bow and the other to his quiver to draw out an arrow.

Holding the arrow up to his bowstring, he held it there as his keen eyes pierced the wood. He scanned the surrounding trees as he looked past the shade and shelter they gave – a good cover for unwelcomed foes. Unable to hear or even see anything, Legolas narrowed his blue eyes and stole a quick glance to Aragorn who was still dozing below. He knew immediately that the gaze was not coming from Aragorn – he would have heard the mortal awakening before he even knew he was waking. Not only that, but from what Legolas could see, Aragorn's chest was rising and falling with a steady rhythm, indicating that he was in fact still sleeping.

Legolas smiled at the thought of his friend being totally oblivious to what was going on around him. Should he have been awake, Aragorn would have gotten his bow out by now, and would have been quite the contrast to his present state.

Legolas gave an annoyed sigh at the disturbance of the peace he felt, and began to climb back down the oak, bow and arrow in one hand.

He landed softly on the ground besides Aragorn and placed a hand on the man's shoulder, gently easing him awake.

Aragorn did not open his eyes at first, but gave a small smile. "Have we dwelt here long enough?"

Legolas smiled at these words. "Aye, we have. Though I am of course assuming that you would like to reach the site some when today!"

Aragorn opened one eye and then the other, still smiling. "That was the intention," he laughed.

Legolas offered a hand to the man and pulled him up to his feet, before they made their way to the horses nearby, who were eating grass from a patch they had found in the shade.

Checking that nothing had been left behind, and that the water skins were attached to their saddles, Legolas mounted his horse, put away the arrow into its quiver, and shouldered his bow, making Aragorn turn around, a questioning look on his face. Legolas met it with an innocent expression.

"Why did you have your bow out? And an arrow?" Aragorn asked curiously at the elf who had just picked up his reins.

"I was keeping it out for precaution, that is all," he answered steadily, followed by a small mutter loud enough for Aragorn to hear. "Curious edain…"

Aragorn laughed. "Curiosity is unfortunately a trait I seemed to have picked up from you elves! You have only yourselves to blame, mellon-nin."

Legolas rolled his eyes and kicked his horse into a walk just behind Aragorn's, whilst trying to ignore the comment just made.

But he stopped and turned in his saddle when the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, a clear sign that indicated that they were again being watched. Legolas narrowed his eyes, trying to see as far as his elven sight would allow him, but he saw nothing. He was so intent on trying to spot the source of this uncomfortable feeling that Aragorn's voice made him jump.

"Come on you slow elf!" he called out a few metres ahead. "We went to get there by sunrise, remember?" Aragorn's cheerful voice turned serious when he realised that he had in fact just made Legolas jump. "Legolas? What is it?"

Legolas blinked and sat back in his saddle properly, meeting Aragorn's gaze. "Nothing," he lied. There was no reason for Aragorn to have to worry about a silly little feeling he had felt. At least this time, unlike their last eventful trip, Legolas was acutely aware of his surroundings. _So much so that I cannot even work out what it is that may be watching us…_. "I was just checking to see that we had left nothing behind." He paused and a confused look quickly flitted across his face before disappearing. "Again."

Aragorn gave him a curious look followed by a sigh, knowing that Legolas was not going to elaborate. "Fair enough. Come on then!"

Both gave a soft kick to their horses, and when Aragorn was ahead of him by a metre or two, Legolas dared a last look behind him. Seeing nothing for sure, he gave a sigh and a few seconds later, both friends were cantering down the path, eager to get to the mysterious campsite.

Ooo----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----o----ooO

That's the first chapter! Second chapter should be up in the next few days or so – the fic is acting as my break in-between hours of revision lol.


	2. Reaching Camp

**Reaching Camp.**

All throughout the remainder of the journey to Aragorn's campsite, the constant feeling of being watched did not cease for Legolas. He still had not told the man of his thoughts, for the man in turn had not asked.

Through the spaces between the branches of the oaks above, Legolas could see that the sky's hue was a variety of colours now, ranging from the lightest shades of violet to the deeper tones of orange, with the deep orange sun slowly sinking beyond the horizon.

He snapped out of his observation of the sky when he heard Aragorn's quiet mutterings, causing the elf to chuckle softly to himself. Aragorn seemed oblivious.

"Should be a bit further… where is that tree…"

Legolas was about to relieve Aragorn of his misery by asking if he was lost, but before he could ask the question, Aragorn had twisted in his saddle to face the elf who was just behind him on his left.

"Legolas?"

Legolas blinked, pretending that he had not heard the mutterings, but instead had been taking in his surroundings. "Hmm?"

"Can you see an old fallen tree anywhere?" Aragorn asked, his eyes now scanning the wood that was darker than earlier.

Slightly confused by this question, Legolas also allowed his eyes to search the surroundings. Although his elven eyes were keener and sharper sighted than Aragorn's, it did not make seeing through the shade of the trees in the evening light any easier.

Finally, his eyes did land on a fallen tree in the distance of about four hundred metres away. Though, to say it was fallen may have been the wrong choice of words. It looked as though it had literally been wrenched from the ground; the trunk had a mark running down it, and its root's fanned out on the bottom half of the moss-covered tree. To pull this from the ground must have been done by something of great strength. _It must have been big, too,_ he thought.

"Yes," he spoke quietly as he nodded his head in the direction, mystified and slightly wary of the circumstances. "It is not too far from here. Though, Estel, I do not think it wise for us to get too close, it has bee-"

"Oh, it will be fine," Aragorn said with a wave of his hand. The indignant look on Legolas' face seemed to contradict this statement. "Honestly, mellon-nin, do you really think I would take us somewhere potentially dangerous?"

Legolas did not reply but merely arched an eyebrow as an unspoken answer, causing Aragorn to give a tilt and nod of the head, showing that that question really did not need answering.

Before an answer could be given, however, Aragorn urged his horse on in the direction Legolas had nodded to, and was soon followed by his elven companion.

As they rode, Legolas tried to rationalise his thoughts. Maybe Aragorn was right. The tree was covered in moss, and had surely been like that for quite a few years now. _Although, evil does have an awful tendency of living for longer than a few years…_

As they rode past the fallen -_or discarded_- tree, it turned out that the mark running down its great trunk was a tear, like a split. No sooner had they past it, Aragorn suddenly changed course to the left, away from the leaf-scattered floor, to the slightly more overgrown area.

Looking down at some of the plants beneath them, Legolas frowned when he caught sight of a somewhat more familiar one. "Estel, is that-"

"Athelas, yes," Aragorn said with a smile. "It is supposed to be fairly common in this part of the wood. I might have to pick some more before we leave."

Legolas nodded at the information, and suddenly let out a small chuckle as a thought dawned on him. "It makes a change to see it growing," he laughed.

Aragorn laughed too. "As opposed to it being used on us? Definitely!"

Legolas continued to laugh as he looked out in front of them, but his laughter quickly died in his throat as apprehension and dread kicked in.

"Estel!" he hissed. "Daro!"

Aragorn pulled his horse's reins to a stop immediately as Legolas had done, and straightaway went for his sword, having learnt long ago that Legolas' instincts often proved accurate. "Man cenich?" he whispered urgently.

"There is something big out there," Legolas spoke quietly, his eyes not leaving the sight he could see. _Valar, they could have heard us miles off! _"Three large figures. Estel, I think they may be trolls!"

To Legolas' absolute surprise, Aragorn relaxed on the horse besides him, and allowed his hand to move away from his sheathed sword. To add to Legolas' total bewilderment, Aragorn continued walking his steed forward, as though the elf had not just spoken.

"Estel!" Legolas hissed loudly. "Have you lost your mind? Daro!"

Aragorn laughed, but did not turn around. "Legolas, mellon-nin, do you remember a certain hobbit and group of dwarves that came to Rivendell and Mirkwood about nine years ago?" he asked, resuming his usual tone.

Legolas blinked. How was that even relevant right now? And why was he bringing up _dwarves_? _He has gone completely mad…_

"Estel, I do not think that is – oh," Legolas broke off, a slight red tinge of embarrassment creeping up his cheeks and the tips of his ears. "Bilbo and the trolls…" he muttered as Aragorn started to laugh.

How could he have been so… dense? The woods they were in were called the Trollshaws, the trees rejoiced the passing of an evil, yet mourned the fact that they still remained, and Aragorn had continued on despite his warning.

He remembered that he had also spoken to Bilbo briefly during the hobbit's 'stay' in Mirkwood, and the then young hobbit had told him of the troll incident. He had spoken about it with the twins and Elrond when Aragorn was ten… Legolas shook his head and scolded himself mentally as he rode onwards, trying to ignore Aragorn's shaking shoulders in front of him that were evidently a result of him trying to stifle his laughter. _Foolish elf, you are a warrior – a prince! You should know to put logic and reasoning before actions!_

A slapping sound followed by a harsh Sindarin curse turned Legolas' scowl into a look of amusement, before he let out a small laugh.

"There is a branch there, Estel," Legolas said, trying to keep his face straight as Aragorn glared at the elf.

"Laugh it up, elf," Aragorn growled. Rarely, his pride could be worse than Legolas'.

The elf raised his eyebrows and wore an expression of feigned hurt. "As if I would do that?" Legolas grinned. "Equal?"

Aragorn ran over this proposal in his head before nodding. "Equal."

As Aragorn looked away, Legolas suddenly whipped his head around to look behind them, the familiar feeling of being watched rising again. He squinted, but found that he could see no person… or thing.

Turning back round, Legolas just caught sight of Aragorn rubbing his red forehead with the back of his hand, whilst the red that had risen in his cheeks died down.

Suppressing the urge to laugh, Legolas thought it best to change conversation… for now.

"So where is it that you propose we camp for the night?" he asked, as the shuddering feeling of being watched died down.

Aragorn thought for a moment, before nodding his head in the direction of the trolls. "We could set up camp by the feet of the trolls if you want." He ignored the sceptical look on Legolas' face and continued regardless. "They will provide some shelter should it start to rain."

Legolas did not answer, but instead sighed. Although he did not mind the rain, he knew that Aragorn would end up catching a cold should he have no shelter. _Or hypothermia knowing that man, _Legolas thought.

Both man and elf were silent as they approached the trolls, each lost in their thoughts as they glanced up at the stone beings, trapped for an eternity in their rock-strewn prison.

Two of the trolls were pointing towards the middle, presumably where Bilbo and the dwarves had once been, their great chubby fingers an extension of large arms attached to an even bigger body.

One of the pointing trolls was sat down, whilst the other was neither sitting nor standing, but half-risen, its heavy body leaning on the other arm.

The weather and nine years had taken its toll on the faces of the trolls, now weather beaten and stained. Even the sunlight had failed to lighten the darkened glares on their faces. Their sneers were wide, whilst the eyes held their look of anger that would sty from this age to the next.

Legolas smiled as he dismounted his horse in the small clearing by the feet of the trolls. The third troll had their body facing where Bilbo and the dwarves would have been, but its head was locked in a turn towards the east, its stone eyes portraying anger mingled with confusion and fear.

"Funny is it not?" Legolas asked softly, his eyes never leaving the eyes of the troll. "That for all of their lives they would have eluded the sunlight, and yet now they must endure it until weather and time destroys them…"

Both man and elf were silent for a few minutes more, walking around the great stones, until finally, Aragorn spoke.

"Interesting place," he murmured. He tore his eyes away from the angry eyes of the sitting troll and glanced at Legolas, who was looking at the moss and plants that crept up the bodies of the trolls. The man clapped his hands together. "So, what do you think?"

Legolas straightened his back and smiled. "Like you said, it is… interesting. A good place to camp for the night. And," he said, with twinkles in his eyes. "The trees are friendly and welcoming, and the night sky can be seen through the large gaps in the higher boughs."

Aragorn rolled his eyes. "Only an elf could comment on the stars and the fact that they can see the stars."

Legolas laughed as he led the horses to a small glade with grass, whilst Aragorn began picking up some of the twigs and bits of wood lying on the floor to start a small fire.

OoooOOOoooO

A rather loud burp sounded from one of the beings laying besides the small campfire.

"Estel, that is disgusting, you know that?"

A chuckle escaped the man, who patted his stomach before letting out another rich belch. Aragorn did not have to look at his friend who was also lying on his back beside him to know that he was being glared at.

"Your ada won't be impressed, knowing that you are starting to develop the mannerisms of a dwarf," Legolas lightly chastised, though it did not particularly bother him.

Aragorn gave a small snort, once again proving Legolas correct. "Please, you cannot tell me that elves don't burp."

Legolas pondered over this for a second, trying to word his retort in a way that would bode well for the elves. "It's not that we do not burp, but if we have too, it is either discreetly, or we just… don't," he finished, rather lamely.

They fell into a comfortable silence; their stomachs full with rabbit Legolas had managed to shoot, as man and elf watched the night sky slowly light up with distant stars, and the moon bathe the world in its silver glow. The small fire in front of them emitted an orange glow that cast shadows upon the still figures of the stone trolls, watching for eternity the small flames as they licked the air.

Legolas and Aragorn did not speak, but merely enjoyed the presence of each other as they left each other to their own thoughts. For many years now, camping out like this was something that had become a regular occurrence, a way to escape life for but a day, whether Legolas needed a break from his princely responsibilities and constant patrols, or if Aragorn just wanted to camp out somewhere with his best friend, his brother.

Out of the corner of his eye, Legolas saw Aragorn raise an arm and point at the brightest star visible in the sky, its home besides the moon.

"That is Éarendil isn't it?" he asked.

Legolas smiled slightly. Ever since Estel had been very young, the mortal had always shown an interest in the night sky and its many beacons of light. When Legolas would visit Imladris, the elf would often sit outside with Estel until past the boys bed time, showing him the stars and answering the many questions that Estel always managed to somehow ask with one small lungful of air. One of the stars Estel had always liked the most was Earendil's, unknowing at that age of the great Mariner's history, and how it connected with Estel's own.

"Legolas?"

"Aye," came the soft reply. "The Mariner, the Blessed and the Bright, sailing his ship Vingilot through the night sky with a Silmaril shining bright upon his brow."

Aragorn relaxed even more with the soft voice of his elven companion, comforted with the knowledge that a great elf guided them all. Unbeknown to him, the great Mariner was in fact one of his ancestors – a secret kept from him until his twentieth birthday that was fast approaching.

"I don't know why," Aragorn spoke in wonder. "But I always feel safe whenever I look at Earendil's star. Apart from you, my brothers, ada and Glorfindel, I always feel that he is up there lighting the way when I don't know what to do, almost like a guardian. I feel some sort of connection that can't possible be real." He sighed, and Legolas could sense the man beside him relax. "It's silly, isn't it?" Aragorn questioned.

Legolas kept his gaze upon the bright star above them, and smiled sadly. "No, no it isn't. Just because a connection may not be physical, or even seem possible, does not mean that it is not there. There are many bonds that exist, but might not seem real. My Elven kind has a strong connection with Arda, though to mortals that may seem equally impossible. It is not about the physicality of something that makes it real; it's about how we feel when near the other part of the bond that would make it complete and strong; the emotions felt and what we believe."

Aragorn turned his head to look at his immortal friend, whose eyes remained fixed upon the stars, a bright twinkle evident in the blue orbs. Aragorn turned his head back, so that he was once again facing the stars.

"How can a bond between Arda and an elf seem impossible?" he wondered out loud. "It is as clear as anything. You elves feel and are a part of the earth. You feel its anger, its joy, and its hurt."

Legolas let out a soft laugh. "Aye, obvious it may be, but you're view may be considered biased in the world of men." Aragorn faced him again, a questioning look on his face. "You grew up with elves, after all."

Silence followed, as both man and elf left each other to their own thoughts.

"I wish I was an elf. Or even half elven, like ada," Aragorn said, wistfully. Legolas said nothing, as his sad smile faltered ever so slightly at the thought of his friend.

He knew that the nineteen year old mortal besides him had no idea that his future had been decided by his ancestors when Isildur took the ring and the line of Kings fell, and that the salvation of men rested on his shoulders as he would rise up to become the King of Gondor and Arnor. Even with the comment that Estel had just made, he knew that the man was unaware of how partly true that was, that he was descended also from Earendil, father of Elrond and Elros.

A quiet sigh left Legolas as he pondered on how his friend would react. Would Estel, soon to be Aragorn, believe that he, the twins, Elrond and Glorfindel had betrayed him, by hiding his true identity from him? Would he be grateful and take the unfair burden upon his shoulders, or would he deny it all, and not leave to go with the rangers?

Legolas was not worried about Aragorn for when he was to join the rangers, he could have survived out in the wild even when he was seventeen; from the countless camping and hunting trips he had gone on with the twins and Legolas. Yes, Legolas thought, Estel would be fine.

His smile disappeared even more when another thought struck. Yes, being out in the wild would be dangerous, but because of who he was would make it even more so. _He will probably be safer than you sometimes are_, Legolas told himself. True, being the crowned prince of Mirkwood, only son and child to King Thranduil and by having the darkness continue to overshadow his home, this had put him in unimaginable danger many times – because people knew who he was. Only the elves, and a few of the rangers knew now, not forgetting Mithrandir.

Legolas snapped out of his thoughts as a soft snore issued from his friend besides him. He sat up with an amused smile and stretched his long legs. Standing up, he lightly walked over to the packs hidden away in the shadows of one of the troll's legs, and pulled out a cloak. He put the packs carefully back, and went back to Aragorn. Gently, he spread the cloak over the young man and stood over him, looking down at the soon-to-be rangers face.

The stubble on Aragorn's face seemed really quite obvious to Legolas tonight – one of the many physical signs that Aragorn really was now a young man. Facial hair had always fascinated the elf, as elves obviously had none, but it sometimes brought about a mixture of unexplained emotions – especially when it concerned the sleeping man in front of him. When he was the same age as the mortal before him, Legolas would still have been but an elfling, and a very young one at that. How many years would pass before the first wisp of grey began to show…?

_No,_ Legolas thought as he shook his fair head. _No sombre thoughts tonight. It is not often I am able to come out camping with my brother now. And it will be even less in the not too distant future…_

Perhaps it was the sudden feeling of being watched that captured Legolas' attention, or the still silence that hung over the air like a tainted thick mist. Even so, Legolas turned softly on the spot and unconsciously moved his body weight onto the balls of his feet in a practised warrior position. Two slender hands reached towards the white ivory handles and pulled them silently from their sheaths, whilst his eyes remained fixed on the shadows of the trees, the keenness of them searching through the nights veil.

He stepped forward and then took another soft step, his blades before him. He turned his head to look back down at Aragorn and, once assured that he was still sleeping soundly, crept forwards past the warm embers that remained from the fire.

Moving through the shadowed trees, Legolas kept his senses on full alert for any movement or sound that might have occurred in the wood. After walking softly for a minute, he stopped and cocked his head to one side, listening intently to his surroundings. He could have sworn that he heard a soft voice, so quiet even for his elven hearing that it might not have even existed. He slowly pivoted on his feet so that his body was facing the direction of the voice. A small breeze blew through the trees towards him, making a few strands of golden hair dance behind him. The voice seemed to be travelling on it, making the source of whatever it was speaking in the direction he was facing.

As he continued on cautiously, a large dark object began to appear before him. It was only when he reached it he realised it was in fact the old tree that had been ripped out of the ground. The fanned out roots gave the impression of a large clawed hand creeping out of the ground, but Legolas was not fazed.

As he approached the dead tree, he frowned.

_Trees do not speak when they are dead…. Perhaps it was merely the living trees song passing through the air on the wind?_

The possibility of this was quite high, he thought, as he circled the dead tree, his blades occasionally glinting in the moonlight. A sight on the tree made him frown, as he bent down closer to view something that a mortal may have struggled to see during the night.

Near one of the branches, a long and clean scratch had been impressed into the dead bark. It was evidently fresh, for around the darker border of bark, no jagged edges appeared, and no splinters emerged at different ends, all pointing in diverse directions. Not only that, but the wood beneath the outer layer was considerably lighter, and did not appear weather worn, nor was it covered by fungi or moss.

Legolas narrowed his eyes in contemplation at this strange discovery, and made to progress his observations of the dead tree. As he turned away from the suspicious swipe at the tree, another sight caught his eye.

He frowned, and bent at his knees to examine the shining liquid that glinted in the moonlight at first he had dismissed it as nothing more than a dew drop, but then he remembered that firstly, it had not rained for a few weeks, and secondly, it was not yet early enough for the first of the dew drops to form and appear.

His brow furrowed slightly as he bent down even more to observe it, but he need not have, for his stomach twisted slightly as it turned out to be what he had hoped it would not.

Blood. A single drop of blood. Though, after a few seconds of allowing his eyes to scan the small area, he found some further away, in small groups shining innocently in the moonlight.

He straightened up and looked in the direction it seemed to go – in the east. Tightening his grip around his deadly blades, Legolas' eyes wondered over in the direction of the camp. A small orange dot could be seen, with the larger figures of the trolls surrounding it and the sleeping Aragorn. He hadn't realised just how far out he had come.

Quietly swearing, he sheathed one of his blades, but kept the other in his right hand, ready to use if needs be. It was too dark and too late to wonder any further now, especially seeing as Aragorn was unaware of where the elf had gone. If he had woken up whilst Legolas was gone, the mortal would have no doubt begun searching for the elf, leading to them most probably getting separated – a situation that would be preferably avoidable, Legolas thought, especially seeing as he kept getting that feeling of being watched.

What incident that had occurred at the dead tree, and the circumstances around it would have to wait. He had not sensed anything, nor had he heard anything, so perhaps it was an animal? The blood that was present on the tree was only minimal, therefore whoever, or whatever, was injured could not be badly so.

Before Legolas knew it, the heat from the glowing embers met him, and Aragorn was still sleeping, exactly in the same position Legolas had last seen him, with his snores for company. He quietly took off his quiver, bow and knives, and set them besides where he was going to lie down.

Legolas lay on the ground besides his oblivious mortal friend and rested his head on one of his arms as he looked up at the starry sky, one of his blades still resting in his right hand. He would stay awake this night and allow his senses to indulge in the surroundings, and let him know of any approaching danger.

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****Sorry this chapter took so long – I have started a full time job, which is very tiring. Next chapter will be posted in the next few weeks. Please review and enjoy : )**

**Elrayen xx**


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